Preventing Falls at Home: A Room-by-Room Guide for Seniors

One in four adults over 65 falls each year, and most of those falls happen at home, in rooms the person has lived in for decades. The good news is that the home is also the easiest place to make safer. You do not need a renovation. Most of the changes below cost little or nothing and can be done in a weekend.

Start with the floors

Loose rugs, electrical cords, and clutter cause more falls than stairs do. Walk each room and look down. Anything that slides, curls at the edges, or sits in a walking path should be secured or removed.

• Remove throw rugs, or fix them in place with double-sided carpet tape.
• Route cords along walls, never across walkways.
• Keep walking paths at least as wide as a walker, even if no one uses one yet.
• Clean up spills right away. Damp floors are as dangerous as icy steps.

The bathroom deserves the most attention

Bathrooms combine hard surfaces, water, and movements like stepping over a tub wall. Grab bars are the single best investment you can make. Install them inside and outside the shower and next to the toilet, anchored into wall studs. Towel bars are not grab bars; they will pull out of the wall under a person's weight.

• Add a non-slip mat or adhesive strips inside the tub or shower.
• Consider a shower chair and a handheld shower head.
• A raised toilet seat reduces the effort of sitting and standing.
• Use a nightlight so nighttime trips are never made in the dark.

Light every path

Aging eyes need roughly three times more light to see the same detail. Put brighter bulbs in hallways and stairwells, add nightlights between the bedroom and bathroom, and keep a lamp or switch within reach of the bed so no one crosses a dark room.

Stairs, shoes, and habits

• Handrails should run the full length of the stairs, ideally on both sides.
• Mark the edge of the top and bottom steps with contrasting tape.
• Wear shoes or firm slippers with backs in the house. Socks on hard floors are a common cause of falls.
• Ask the doctor or pharmacist to review medications. Dizziness is a side effect of many common prescriptions.

When extra support helps

If a loved one has already fallen, steadies themselves on furniture as they move around, or hesitates on stairs, it may be time for more than home modifications. A trained caregiver can assist with bathing, transfers, and errands, which are the moments when most falls happen. HomeCare Connections provides attendant care throughout Central Indiana, and a free in-home consultation is a good way to find out what level of support fits.